Homeless merry-go-round under I-280 ramp

S.F. neighborhoods

Updated 9:09 pm, Monday, September 24, 2012

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

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Rashan Hylton drumming in his tent at a homeless encampment under highway 280 on King at Fifth streets in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, September 24, 2012. A past vocalist and musician, he has been living in the encampment for two years. less

Rashan Hylton drumming in his tent at a homeless encampment under highway 280 on King at Fifth streets in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, September 24, 2012. A past vocalist and musician, he has been living ... more

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

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Iona Barger who's been at the homeless encampment under highway 280 on King at Fifth streets in San Francisco, Calif., for six years is removing steel from metal frames she found in a dumpster to sell for food on Monday, September 24, 2012. less

Iona Barger who's been at the homeless encampment under highway 280 on King at Fifth streets in San Francisco, Calif., for six years is removing steel from metal frames she found in a dumpster to sell for food ... more

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

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A man moving some of his belongings at a homeless encampment under highway 280 on King at Fifth streets in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, September 24, 2012.

A man moving some of his belongings at a homeless encampment under highway 280 on King at Fifth streets in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, September 24, 2012.

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

Homeless merry-go-round under I-280 ramp

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Homeless campers staying at a makeshift settlement near San Francisco's Caltrain station said Monday they would welcome housing and services if they were readily accessible, but for now they are stuck being bounced in and out of their camp by police and cleaning crews.

The camp has been beneath an Interstate 280 on-ramp at Fifth and King streets for years, but during the past month officials have renewed efforts to clear it in reaction to neighbor complaints and a fire that burned one occupant's belongings and scorched the concrete freeway structure.

"Very few people actually want to be homeless, but services and housing aren't as available as they should be," said John Gallagher, a member of the Coalition on Homelessness speaking for the campers. "There's already weeks of waiting for a long-term shelter bed ... and even when people get promised long-term housing, it doesn't always pan out" for a variety of reasons, including bureaucratic tangles or rule violations.

At night, the camp's population totals about a dozen people living in tents or handmade shacks, but that number can double during the day. It sits on property belonging to the California Department of Transportation, and state officials every week or so tell the campers to move - which they do, to an adjacent paved right-of-way owned by the city.

Working on solution

San Francisco officials then tell the campers to get off the pavement, so they move back under the freeway where they came from. Meanwhile, some campers say their belongings get thrown away during city clean-outs rather than stored as city policy requires. City officials say only trash gets tossed.

Caltrans officials say they are working on a solution: installing a sturdy fence to block campers entering the area under the freeway. But there is no target date yet for the fence.

"The city should leave these people alone or find them some housing; otherwise, you're just sweeping them around from one place to another," Gallagher said at a news conference called by the homeless to give more of their side of the situation.

Bevan Dufty, who heads the city's efforts to help the homeless, said there is enough temporary housing and shelter to absorb the campers, but it requires some effort by the recipients.

Dufty noted that outreach workers have connected at least nine homeless campers with services and are regularly engaging the rest to hook them up with housing and counseling.

"We are not in the business of pushing people around, but people need to make responsible choices," he said. "It's not safe for them to stay at that location. We can respond and meet people's needs."

Seeking common ground

Meanwhile, the campers are frustrated by the increased attention on what they say is a safer haven for them as a group than living scattered on the streets. Several said last week's fire was set by an unwelcome visitor and that their efforts to clear out rats and other problems are misunderstood.

"We try to have some common ground and rules of decency here," said Ian Smith, 33, who has been at the camp for six months. "If the people complaining about the camp got to know us, I'm sure they'd be a lot more impressed. Remember - this could be your nephew, your daughter or your son out here."

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